From Bullets To Billions Chapter 667: Take The Pills

Eric’s quiet proposition to serve as a protective barrier instilled a fragile sense of confidence within the group. The intense ferocity they had just witnessed from the elder students remained vivid, yet Eric’s presence acted as a grounding anchor. They held a belief—or perhaps a desperate hope—that Donto’s athletically built enforcers would be hesitant to instigate a full-blown conflict with someone who obviously possessed formidable combat skills. Eric had subdued Charlie with such efficient precision that it seemed improbable the others would press the issue.

The most sensible course of action was to discreetly depart amidst the party’s ensuing pandemonium. Everywhere the eye landed, first-year students were yielding to social pressure, consuming the enigmatic blue pills and emitting laughter tinged with an artificial, uneasy vivacity. Beneath the pulsating rhythm of the nightclub music and the erratic flashes of neon lights, the group began migrating towards the primary egress. Eric maintained a close proximity, his gaze continuously sweeping the surroundings like a seasoned protector.

As they approached the imposing double doors of the bowling alley, the grim reality of their confinement crystallized with chilling clarity. A contingent of senior students, clad in identical football jerseys, occupied strategic positions near the exit. They weren't overtly obstructing the passage; rather, they were casually leaning against the walls, holding drinks and conversing, their attention perpetually fixed on the milling crowd.

"They're observing everyone," Talia whispered, her spirits plummeting as the realization dawned that the perimeter was completely sealed. "Every exit we consider, they'll be positioned there. We are being systematically contained."

The huddle tightened, their gazes flicking towards the emergency exits. A flicker of hope ignited that locating a door in a more densely populated area might allow them to meld into the throng and slip away undetected. However, as they pivoted to move towards the rear of the hall, their intended path was obstructed by an unyielding silhouette. Sono stood directly before them, a semblance of amusement playing on his lips, belying a menacing aura.

"What's the hurry, folks?" Sono inquired, his tone laced with disingenuous solicitude. "The celebration is merely commencing, and I observed you haven't partaken of your allotted packages. Recall our assurances—this instruction emanates from your seniors. As juniors, the paramount lesson you must absorb is obedience to those who preceded you."

Talia stepped forward, her hands betraying a slight tremor. "I... I genuinely apologize. However, I have a significant medical complication. I am unaware of the specific constituents within these pills, and I harbor concerns regarding a potential adverse reaction with my current prescriptions. We did not wish to dampen the evening's festivities, hence our intention to depart discreetly."

It was an transparent fabrication, yet Talia clung to the hope that its superficial plausibility might grant Sono a reason to permit their egress without sacrificing his dignity.

"A medical complication? My apologies, but that is not an acceptable pretext," Sono declared, his smirk stretching into a more predatory expression. "As previously stated, this is a mandatory participation for all. Rest assured, however—we are maintaining vigilant oversight of each of you tonight. Should any adverse effects manifest, we shall be paramount in ensuring your well-being. In fact, allow me to remain here and observe your consumption. This way, I can summon assistance the instant a reaction occurs."

The reasoning was suffocatingly elaborate; a meticulously crafted snare designed to leave them with no available escape routes.

"Hey," Eric interjected, positioning himself between the first-years and the senior. "They've already conveyed their reluctance to ingest this 'remedy.' In this nation, individuals retain the autonomy to make personal decisions regarding their bodies. Your approach is excessively coercive."

Unseen, Eric was subtly conveying a signal to Steve, Talia, and Yovan, indicating an opportune moment to break away—to head towards the bustling bowling alleys and seek an alternate route. Yet, as they shifted their positions, the futility of such an endeavor became apparent. Additional members of the football squad had purposefully drawn nearer, coalescing into a loosely formed but impassable semi-circle around them.

"Ah, it is you. The Wushu practitioner," Sono remarked, a dark, almost fanatical gleam igniting in his eyes. "You know what? You are correct. Individuals ought to exercise their free will in all conceivable aspects. And presently, my utmost desire is to engage you in combat."

Sono adjusted his stance, his feet gripping the carpeted floor with determined force. Without further pronouncements, he surged forward with the untamed, relentless momentum of a charging bull. Eric, fully prepared, sidestepped with a fluid, elegant maneuver, lightly tapping Sono's shoulder to redirect the senior's trajectory, immediately settling into a low, intensely focused defensive posture.

"Damn it, he's fighting again, and it's all because of us," Steve grumbled, the weight of guilt pressing upon him. He scanned his surroundings urgently, anticipating an immediate swarm from the other seniors to overpower Eric, but they remained stationary. They simply retreated slightly, their faces contorted into jagged smiles, observing the unfolding scene as if engrossed in a spectator's spectacle.

Sono halted his advance abruptly, turning back with heavy, excited breaths. "I was intrigued from the moment I witnessed you defeat Charlie. I even considered you might rival me. But now? Now I'm certain."

Sono began to advance again, closing the space slowly and deliberately. Eric remained poised, his focus unwavering. As soon as Sono entered striking distance, Eric launched a swift punch that connected squarely with the older student's jaw. The impact resonated sharply, yet Sono remained unfazed, his head barely moving.

Without pause, Eric unleashed a rapid series of blows—punches and open-hand strikes rained down on Sono's face, neck, and chest. It was a dazzling exhibition of martial prowess, but to the dismay of the freshmen, it appeared Eric was striking a solid wall. Sono absorbed the onslaught without a sound, his gaze locked onto Eric with a chilling, vacant intensity.

Suddenly, Sono moved with astonishing speed, his physique belying his swiftness. He slipped under Eric's next attack and encircled Eric's waist with his formidable arms.

"Your punches are weak... I suppose your martial arts are truly useless in a real brawl!" Sono bellowed. He lifted Eric clear off the ground and, with a surge of immense power, slammed him forcefully onto the floor.

The collision was jarring to the bone. Before Eric could regain his breath, Sono descended, pinning Eric's limbs with his full body weight and driving his knees into Eric's shoulders. Eric struggled fiercely, his body twisting as he sought an advantageous position, but the rugby player's grounded, grappling technique proved a perfect counter to Eric's upright, striking-focused Wushu. Eric wasn't a seasoned combatant; he was a student who pursued martial arts for the sheer joy of it. Against Sono's raw, unleashed aggression, he was trapped.

"Alright, time for a proper beating!" Sono roared.

He raised a massive fist and drove it directly into Eric's face. The sound was gruesome. Eric's head snapped back against the floor, a metallic taste flooding his mouth as his lip split open instantly. Sono continued his assault, delivering blow after blow, the impacts echoing loudly over the music. Blood began to stain the carpet, turning the dark red fabric a deeper, more vibrant hue.

The freshmen who had been cheering for the "show" earlier began to fall silent. The room's atmosphere shifted from excitement to a chilling, palpable dread as they realized they were witnessing a brutal, one-sided assault. Steve stood rigid, tears coursing down his face as he watched the person who had tried to protect them being systematically destroyed.

"STOP!" Talia's shriek pierced the air, overpowering the music. "PLEASE! Stop hitting him! We'll take the pills! We'll take all of them! Just stop!"

Sono's fist halted inches from its target. He looked up at Talia, a wide, blood-splattered grin on his face. Slowly, he rose from the pummeled Eric, smoothing his uniform.

"See? Was that so difficult?" Sono inquired, indicating for the seniors to bring forth the water.

Overwhelmed by the brutality and the guilt over Eric's sacrifice, every student in the business department reached into their pouches. Under the satisfied, watchful gazes of Donto and his enforcers, they consumed the blue pills. In mere minutes, the entire assembly complied, and the seniors erupted in laughter.